Champs up and running

Omagh made it two wins out of two when they emerged five point winners away to a Derrylaughan side who were missing key attackers Liam Gervin, Ciaran Quinn, Fergal McAliskey, Ciaran Gervin and Kevin Coary.

On top of that the Kevin Barrys were forced to play three quarters of the game with only fourteen men after Gareth Coary was straight red carded by referee Eugene McConnell. Scores were hard to come by in the first half and at the break it was 0-4 each with county forward Ronan O’Neill scoring the visitors’ entire tally with Gerard McAliskey and Stephen McGrath getting a brace each for the hosts.

Ten minutes into the second half O’Neill converted a penalty after Ciaran McLaughlin was fouled for the decisive score in the game. Rory McBride, O’Neill and Conan Grugan all added two points each and while Shea Coney punched home a Derrylaughan goal it came too late in the day to affect the outcome.

Derrylaughan scorers – Gerard McAliskey 0-3, Stephen McGrath 0-3, Shea Coney 1-0

Omagh scorers – Ronan O’Neill 1-6, Conan Grugan 0-2, Rory McBride 0-2, Joe McMahon 0-1

Donaghmore 2-16 Carrickmore 2-11

This meeting at Father Devlin Park brought together two sides who had lost their opening fixtures and it was Donaghmore who came out on top here by a more comfortable margin than the final score line might suggest.

The game got off to an explosive start with Carrickmore’s Barry Daly finding the net with only fifteen seconds gone on the clock but Peter McKenna responding in kind at the other end of the field in the second minute.

Martin Penrose and Caolan Daly had Carrickmore points with Matthew McGahan landing a superb brace for the hosts as Donaghmore edged the opening period 1-8 to 1-6 thanks to a couple of late Shane Mulgrew scores.

The second half proved to be the Mulgrew and Niall McKenna show as they hit their entire side’s tally between them. Mulgrew’s goal came eight minutes from time and ended the game as a contest and even a late major from county defender Conor Gormley couldn’t take away from a disappointing display from the visitors.

Donaghmore scorers – Shane Mulgrew 1-8, Niall McKenna 0-5, Matthew McGahan 0-3, Peter McKenna 1-0

Carrickmore scorers – Conor Gormley 1-2, Caolan Daly 0-4, Barry Daly 1-0, Kevin McNally 0-2, Martin Penrose 0-2, Paul McAleer 0-1

Cookstown 1-10 Moy 0-9

Cookstown had to play the entire second half with only fourteen men but they still did enough to collect the points at the expense of Moy in this clash between two sides who were promoted last term.

Former Tyrone attacker Owen Mulligan was straight red carded by referee Brian McCallion in the final minute of the first half. Before his dismissal Mulligan was having a superb game contributing three points for the Father Rocks, Christopher Eastwood and John Gilmore also on target, the latter punishing a foul on Shea McGarrity by converting the resulting penalty.

Sean Cavanagh and Paul Rouse kicked a couple of points each for the visitors who trailed 1-6 to 0-4 at the short whistle.

Rouse reduced the gap on the restart only for Cookstown to come straight up the field for Eastwood to score. Cavanagh and Eunan Deeney both scored twice each to reduce the deficit to the minimum but just when it looked like the extra man was taking its toll on the hosts they produced a strong finish with points from Eastwood, Gilmore and substitute James McGahan.

Cookstown scorers – John Gilmore 1-2, Christopher Eastwood 0-4, Owen Mulligan 0-3, James McGahan 0-1

Moy scorers – Sean Cavanagh 0-4, Paul Rouse 0-3, Eunan Deeney 0-2

Dromore 0-11 Ardboe 0-6

For the second game running Dromore had home advantage and once again they made it count as they comfortably saw off the challenge of old rivals Ardboe.

The Rossas made a confident start to the game and by the end of the opening quarter they had their noses in front thanks to efforts from Shea McGuigan and Kyle Coney. They failed to score for the remainder of the half though as the St.Dympnas turned things around to lead 0-5 to 0-3 with Eoin McCusker and Ruairi Sludden getting a couple of points each. Coney reduced the deficit on the resumption but that was as good as it got for the Loughshore men.

The Sludden brothers Ruairi and Niall kicked a further four points between them with Paddy Montague and McCusker also on the score sheet with Ardboe managing only scores from Tommy McGuigan and Michael Cassidy in the closing moments of the game.

Dromore scorers – Ruairi Sludden 0-3, Niall Sludden 0-3, Eoin McCusker 0-3, Paddy Montague 0-2

Ardboe scorers – Shea McGuigan 0-2, Kyle Coney 0-2, Tommy McGuigan 0-1, Michael Cassidy 0-1

Clonoe 1-12 Augher 0-10

A goal five minutes from time from Ryan T O’Neill proved to be the decisive score as defending champions Clonoe got their first points on the board at the expense of visiting Augher.

There was little between the two sides throughout with the home side edging the opening period 0-7 to 0-5 thanks to points from Declan McClure, Ryan T O’Neill and Conor McAliskey, Daire Kavanagh and Aidan McElroy with points for the St.Macartans.

Within eight minutes of the restart Augher had closed the gap to the minimum thanks to a Kavanagh brace but they were never able to get back on level terms.

Shane O’Hagan, Stephen McNulty and PJ Lavery responded with Clonoe points before O’Neill bagged that crucial major. Jamie Donnelly and Kavanagh had Augher points but the damage had been done by that stage.

Clonoe scorers – Ryan T O’Neill 1-2, Conor McAliskey 0-3, Declan McClure 0-2, Sean Hughes 0-1, Dominic Campbell 0-1, Shane O’Hagan 0-1, Stephen McNulty 0-1, PJ Lavery 0-1

Augher scorers – Daire Kavanagh 0-5, Aidan McElroy 0-3, Jamie Donnelly 0-2

Killyclogher 0-7 Trillick 1-4

These two sides got their first points on the board following this stalemate at Killyclogher in what may have been a low scoring affair but it was certainly eventful in the final quarter.

The St.Macartans raced into an early lead courtesy of points from Richard Donnelly and Rory Brennan but they failed to score for the rest of the half as efforts from Leo Meenan, Simon O’Neill and Conor Meenan saw the home side lead 0-5 to 0-2 at the turnaround.

Within five minutes of the restart Trillick were in front after a Brennan point was followed by a punched goal from county minor Daire Gallagher. Leo Meenan levelled matters and them after a barren ten minute spell the same player put Killyclogher in front. With ten minutes to go a crucial incident in the game took place when Mark Bradley was fouled for a penalty but O’Neill’s shot came back off the post.

Conor Meenan then hit the post with an effort for a point before Gallagher sent over the equaliser five minutes from time when he could well have had another goal.

Killyclogher scorers – Leo Meenan 0-4, Mark Bradley 0-1, Simon O’Neill 0-1, Conor Meenan 0-1

Trillick scorers – Daire Gallagher 1-1, Rory Brennan 0-2, Richard Donnelly 0-1

Coalisland 1-16 Greencastle 1-6

Coalisland’s remarkable run in league football during the regular season continued at Father Campbell Park yesterday afternoon when a scoring burst at the beginning of the second half sent them on their way to a comfortable ten point success over Greencastle.

The visitors had the elements in their favour in the first half and they hit an early goal from Peter Teague to put them in front. Coalisland though responded with a well taken major from Stephen McNally and points from Brian Toner and Eoghan Carberry enabled them to lead by two at the break.

Sean Teague’s charges had it all to do now against the wind and Coalisland soon upped the tempo with a series of well taken points from Carberry, Paddy McNeice and the Toner brothers Gerard, Brian and Philip. Barry McGarvey and the McCullaghs John and Cathair replied for Greencastle but the result was never in doubt after that third quarter scoring burst from the Fianna.

Coalisland scorers – Eoghan Carberry 0-4, Stephen McNally 1-1, Brian Toner 0-3, Philip Toner 0-3, Paddy McNeice 0-3, Plunkett Kane 0-1, Gerard Toner 0-1

Greencastle scorers – Peter Teague 1-0, John McCullagh 0-2, Cathair McCullagh 0-2, Barry McGarvey 0-1, Kevin Ferrity 0-1